scholarly journals Challenges of raising road maintenance funds in developing countries: An analysis of road tolling in Zimbabwe

2010 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
T. C. Mbara ◽  
M. Nyarirangwe ◽  
T. Mukwashi
Keyword(s):  
International Markets ◽  
Performance Outcomes ◽  
Alternative Methods ◽  
Road User ◽  
Road Maintenance ◽  
Service Levels ◽  
User Charges ◽  
Road Users ◽  
Trunk Road ◽  
The Government

The condition of Zimbabwe's roads has been declining due to insufficient maintenance and rehabilitation. Year on year, budget allocations have compared unfavourably with funding considered adequate to maintain highway networks and conduct modest construction work. Road infrastructure shortcomings have manifested themselves in the form of high vehicle operating costs and rampant potholes, leading to a decline in road safety and a deterioration of service levels for those who use roads to deliver goods or connect to international markets. In order to try and stop this vicious cycle of decline, the Government of Zimbabwe, on 8 August 2009, introduced a new policy of road-user charges, which involved the setting-up of 22 toll gates on the trunk road network. The overall objective was to raise revenue in order to close the funding gap, blamed for declining road quality. Although alternative methods of financing road maintenance have been debated for years, a generally accepted understanding is that road users should pay costs for road provisioning. This paper assesses the implementation of a road tolling system in Zimbabwe and describes matters relating to, inter alia, implementation strategy, initial performance outcomes and sustainability.

Using a Pavement Management System for Allocating Resources: Case Study of Hungary

1996 ◽  
Vol 1518 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-84
Author(s):  
Marianna Csicsely-Tarpay ◽  
Raimo Tapio ◽  
Antti Talvitie
Keyword(s):  
Management System ◽  
Pavement Management ◽  
Road User ◽  
Road Maintenance ◽  
Pavement Management System ◽  
Integrated Network ◽  
The Road ◽  
User Charges ◽  
Vantage Points

An integrated network- and project-level pavement management system is described, and its use for allocating resources to various road maintenance actions and distributing these resources to a country's different regions and subnetworks is reported. Particularly interesting is the nature of the budget constraint, which is discussed from three vantage points: disutility of additional road user charges, performance of the road administration, and uncertainty in user benefits. The case study is set in Hungary, where significant efforts have been made to apply state-of-the-art techniques in road management. Contributions are made in three areas: a systematic, top-down managerial analysis of several budget levels and their effect on users and road condition; illustration of practical considerations in resource allocation by road managers; and the use of budget constraints to help achieve multiple highway management objectives, including productivity improvements in the road administration.

scholarly journals Funding for roads: Understanding the South African road funding framework

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johann A. Van Rensburg ◽  
Stephan C. Krygsman
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Road User ◽  
Road Infrastructure ◽  
The Road ◽  
User Charges ◽  
Road Users ◽  
Budget Analysis ◽  
Infrastructure Policy ◽  
Future Technologies ◽  
The Impact

Background: A good quality road network holds numerous benefits to any country, but is dependent on sufficient and stable modes of funding and adequate financing. Funding for roads in South Africa is complex, controversial and faces different viewpoints. In this environment, it is difficult to implement any new form of road user charges, including the user-pay principle, or promote a sustainable road infrastructure policy framework.Objectives: This article examined the road funding framework in South Africa to fully understand its capability to fund the country’s road infrastructure network while quantifying and presenting the linkage between road-generated income, its distribution, allocation and the expenditure of these funds through a consolidated report and comparing the country’s income and expenditure on roads to international standards.Method: Numerous financial statements were assessed through a budget analysis to present the current road funding framework in South Africa in terms of the income generated from the road sector, its allocation, distribution and the expenditure of these funds. Local road funding trends were then compared with selected countries in terms of road-generated income, its allocation and expenditure.Results: South Africa’s current road funding framework collects a substantial amount from road users, but there is a mismatch between road-generated income collected and governmental road expenditure. Furthermore, South Africa’s road expenditure in not outside the norm compared to international countries.Conclusion: Investigation into the effectiveness of South Africa’s current road cost recovery methods is needed, and the impact of future technologies on its income-generating potential must be examined.

scholarly journals Road User Attitudes and Their Reported Behaviours in Abuja, Nigeria

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 4222
Author(s):  
Uchenna Nnabuihe Uhegbu ◽  
Miles R. Tight
Keyword(s):  
Road Safety ◽  
Road Traffic ◽  
Road User ◽  
Traffic Crashes ◽  
Road Traffic Crashes ◽  
The Road ◽  
Road Users ◽  
User Attitudes ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Right

The continuous increases in the numbers of road traffic crashes (RTC) over the years, especially in developing countries, have been a source of worry. The majority of the RTC are attributed to road user behaviours exhibited by the drivers. This study sets out to investigate the road user attitudes and behaviours in Abuja, Nigeria. A total of 1526 questionnaires were distributed, of which 321 questionnaires were completed and returned. The questionnaires tried to understand four major road user behaviours, namely use of seatbelts, drink driving, use of mobile phone while driving, and use of child restraints. The results after analysing the questionnaires showed that the majority of the road users in Abuja showed high non-compliance with the use of seatbelts, either when driving or when being driven. About 64% of the respondents admitted to not using seatbelts. Results from the cross-tabulation process showed that the high non-compliance to seatbelt usage was statistically associated with young, single road users. Around one-third of Abuja road users admitted to drink driving. Road users who were married engaged in more frequent drink driving than road users who were single, and the association was statistically significant. A high percentage of Abuja road users admitted to using mobile phones while driving and 55.8% of the total respondents admitted to not using child restraints while driving. A lack of child restraints was statistically associated more with male road users than female road users. It is recommended that stricter enforcement of road safety laws should be undertaken and that the government should provide road safety agents with the right equipment (e.g., speed guns, breathalyzers) that would aid road safety agents to perform their duties effectively in order to curb the excessive bad road user behaviours in Abuja.

scholarly journals The Awareness of Blind Spot Area in Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV)

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 5619-5623
Keyword(s):  
Blind Spot ◽  
Truck Drivers ◽  
Road User ◽  
The Road ◽  
Spot Area ◽  
Road Users ◽  
Heavy Goods Vehicles ◽  
The Government ◽  
Good Vehicle ◽  
Blind Spots

This paper is to demonstrate the awareness of blind spot area in heavy goods vehicles (HGV) towards the road user. A blind spot is an area or zone that cannot be directly observe by the driver. Usually, the weaknesses in the blind spot area resulted in accident between the vehicle as many drivers did not alert or have awareness on the blind spot area especially in heavy goods vehicle. The objective of this paper is to identify the awareness on the blind spot area in heavy goods vehicles to the road users. To achieve the objective, a questionnaire survey has been conducted to the road user. About 100 drivers randomly pick to answer the survey and they are consisting of non-truck drivers that drive a car, van and motorcycle. The results reveal that even the respondents know about the blind spot in heavy good vehicle, but the awareness in the of blind spot area still less where they mistake on the exact location of blind spot. Typically, the only zone that they know as the blind spot for heavy goods vehicle is at the back area. Therefore, it is suggested that the government to improve the awareness of blind spot areas within the drivers through restructure the system inside driving school by give more attention on the blind spot for heavy goods vehicle, make a campaign on the awareness of blind spot in heavy goods vehicle to remind again the road users about the area of blind spots, and establish a standard direct vision in heavy goods vehicle. Keywords: Blind spot, heavy good

scholarly journals Contrasting Perspectives on the Comfort and Safety of Pedestrians Interacting with Other Road Users

2021 ◽  
Vol 2675 (3) ◽  
pp. 33-43
Author(s):  
Alexander Bigazzi ◽  
Gurdiljot Gill ◽  
Meghan Winters
Keyword(s):  
Traffic Safety ◽  
Injury Risk ◽  
Road User ◽  
Motor Vehicles ◽  
Advisory Group ◽  
User Interactions ◽  
The Public ◽  
Road Users ◽  
Expert Assessments ◽  
Sample Representation

Assessments of interactions between road users are crucial to understanding comfort and safety. However, observers may vary in their perceptions and ratings of road user interactions. The objective of this paper is to examine how perceptions of yielding, comfort, and safety for pedestrian interactions vary among observers, ranging from members of the public to road safety experts. Video clips of pedestrian interactions with motor vehicles and bicycles were collected from 11 crosswalks and shown to three groups of participants (traffic safety experts, an engaged citizen advisory group, and members of the general public) along with questions about yielding, comfort, and risk of injury. Experts had similar views of yielding and comfort to the other two groups, but a consistently lower assessment of injury risk for pedestrians in the study. Respondent socio-demographics did not relate to perceptions of yielding, comfort, or risk, but self-reported travel habits did. Respondents who reported walking more frequently rated pedestrian comfort as lower, and respondents who reported cycling more frequently rated risk as lower for pedestrian interactions with both motor vehicles and bicycles. Findings suggest small groups of engaged citizens can provide useful information about public perspectives on safety that likely diverge from expert assessments of risk, and that sample representation should be assessed in relation to travel habits rather than socio-demographics.

scholarly journals Autonomous Vehicles and Vulnerable Road-Users—Important Considerations and Requirements Based on Crash Data from Two Countries

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 101
Author(s):  
Andrew Paul Morris ◽  
Narelle Haworth ◽  
Ashleigh Filtness ◽  
Daryl-Palma Asongu Nguatem ◽  
Laurie Brown ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autonomous Vehicles ◽  
Red Light ◽  
Road User ◽  
Red Light Running ◽  
Crash Data ◽  
Passenger Vehicles ◽  
Road Users ◽  
Vulnerable Road User ◽  
Vulnerable Road Users ◽  
Road Intersections

(1) Background: Passenger vehicles equipped with advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) functionalities are becoming more prevalent within vehicle fleets. However, the full effects of offering such systems, which may allow for drivers to become less than 100% engaged with the task of driving, may have detrimental impacts on other road-users, particularly vulnerable road-users, for a variety of reasons. (2) Crash data were analysed in two countries (Great Britain and Australia) to examine some challenging traffic scenarios that are prevalent in both countries and represent scenarios in which future connected and autonomous vehicles may be challenged in terms of safe manoeuvring. (3) Road intersections are currently very common locations for vulnerable road-user accidents; traffic flows and road-user behaviours at intersections can be unpredictable, with many vehicles behaving inconsistently (e.g., red-light running and failure to stop or give way), and many vulnerable road-users taking unforeseen risks. (4) Conclusions: The challenges of unpredictable vulnerable road-user behaviour at intersections (including road-users violating traffic or safe-crossing signals, or taking other risks) combined with the lack of knowledge of CAV responses to intersection rules, could be problematic. This could be further compounded by changes to nonverbal communication that currently exist between road-users, which could become more challenging once CAVs become more widespread.

scholarly journals APPROPRIABILITY PROFILES – DIFFERENT ACTORS, DIFFERENT OUTCOMES

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (08) ◽  
pp. 1640019
Author(s):  
PIA HURMELINNA-LAUKKANEN ◽  
MIKA VANHALA ◽  
HEIDI OLANDER
Keyword(s):  
Survey Data ◽  
International Markets ◽  
Performance Outcomes ◽  
Value Appropriation

Compared to existing knowledge of innovation appropriability in general, or individual mechanisms contributing to value appropriation, little is known about the configurations of isolating appropriability mechanisms. Such configurations — appropriability profiles — may look quite different for different actors, and may generate quite different performance outcomes. We examine survey data from 167 firms and identify specific profiles among different actors: subtle, attained, and controlled appropriability. We further show that industry, presence in international markets, and firm goals for protection, for example, are important attributes of these profiles. The results also suggest that different profiles relate to different performance outcomes in the market, innovation, and alliance dimensions. These findings can help managers build appropriability profiles that genuinely match their characteristics and needs, thereby escaping the problems with under- or over-protection that can easily take place if, for example, only appropriation strategies building on individual mechanisms, such as patents, are followed.

The Labor Government's Industrial Relations Policy: Flexibility with Equity

1992 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 112-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Cook
Keyword(s):  
Management Practices ◽  
Industrial Relations ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
International Markets ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Workplace Culture ◽  
Equity And Efficiency ◽  
The Government ◽  
Wage Increases

The fundamental objective of the Government's industrial relations policy is to encourage and assist Australian companies and their employees to adopt work and management practices that will strengthen their capacity to compete successfully both in domestic and international markets. To this end we support co-operative and equitable workplace bargaining, with wage increases being linked to the reform of work practices and attitudes. Our support for decentralised bargaining is aimed at improving productivity by fostering a new workplace culture of striving for continuous improvement. We emphatically reject the view that such an outcome will be achieved by wholesale deregulation and reliance on unfettered market forces. The Government is committed, for both equity and efficiency reasons, to maintaining the Accord approach to wages policy. We are also committed to an independent Australian Industrial Relations Commission playing the vital role of protecting lower paid employees through the safety net of minimum award wages and conditions.

scholarly journals Quality perception of organically grown tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) in Vienna, Austria

2016 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 16-20
Author(s):  
PK Ng’ang’a ◽  
CR Vogl
Keyword(s):  
Fruit Size ◽  
Quality Standards ◽  
International Markets ◽  
Sweet Taste ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Quality Perception ◽  
Main Challenge ◽  
Human Health Damage ◽  
The Government ◽  
Organically Grown

Austria is one of the major organic tomato producing countries for local and export marketing. These tomatoes are produced in parts of Austria especially around Vienna where their production system has to meet stringent organic quality standards in both local and international markets. These quality standards may put considerable strain on farmers and are normally formulated without famers’ participation so may not be wholly representative of the farmers’ quality interpretation. The aim of this paper is therefore to determine the Austrian organic tomatoes growers’ perception and practice of quality and challenges. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were carried out among 28 organic tomatoes farmers in Vienna, Austria. Findings suggest that quality of organic tomatoes is mainly perceived in terms of both informal values (big fruit size, long shelf life, food security and amount of income received from tomato sales) as well as formal norms (non- application of chemicals, human health, damage free, sweet taste, red colour, and juiciness). There were no gendered differences in quality perception among the growers. High costs of production inputs were identified as the main challenge to attaining quality in organic tomatoes. Following these findings, there is need for effective participation of growers in formulation of standards as well as subsidizing of production inputs by the government. The Austrian tomato growers as well as local and international retailers should work closely to increase the price received by the Austrian organic tomato growers so that it more adequately covers their production costs.Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 5 (2): 16-20, December, 2015

scholarly journals MobRISK: a model for assessing the exposure of road users to flash flood events

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (9) ◽  
pp. 1631-1651 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saif Shabou ◽  
Isabelle Ruin ◽  
Céline Lutoff ◽  
Samuel Debionne ◽  
Sandrine Anquetin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Exposure Assessment ◽  
Flash Flood ◽  
Activity Patterns ◽  
Traffic Load ◽  
Road User ◽  
Population Exposure ◽  
Flood Events ◽  
Population Mobility ◽  
Road Users ◽  
Adverse Weather

Abstract. Recent flash flood impact studies highlight that road networks are often disrupted due to adverse weather and flash flood events. Road users are thus particularly exposed to road flooding during their daily mobility. Previous exposure studies, however, do not take into consideration population mobility. Recent advances in transportation research provide an appropriate framework for simulating individual travel-activity patterns using an activity-based approach. These activity-based mobility models enable the prediction of the sequence of activities performed by individuals and locating them with a high spatial–temporal resolution. This paper describes the development of the MobRISK microsimulation system: a model for assessing the exposure of road users to extreme hydrometeorological events. MobRISK aims at providing an accurate spatiotemporal exposure assessment by integrating travel-activity behaviors and mobility adaptation with respect to weather disruptions. The model is applied in a flash-flood-prone area in southern France to assess motorists' exposure to the September 2002 flash flood event. The results show that risk of flooding mainly occurs in principal road links with considerable traffic load. However, a lag time between the timing of the road submersion and persons crossing these roads contributes to reducing the potential vehicle-related fatal accidents. It is also found that sociodemographic variables have a significant effect on individual exposure. Thus, the proposed model demonstrates the benefits of considering spatiotemporal dynamics of population exposure to flash floods and presents an important improvement in exposure assessment methods. Such improved characterization of road user exposures can present valuable information for flood risk management services.

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